Shades of Grey
by Elf Knight
Summary: Percy Jackson's life seems like shades of grey - each day is different and yet all are the same. However, a warm ray of sunlight bursts through the shadows that ingulf him when he makes a startling discovery and takes her home with him... AU Percabeth!


**Author's Note:** Don't know where I got this fanfic idea but it just came to mind this afternoon so I decided to give it a shot and see how it all plays out. Needless to say, I don't own Percy Jackson and all respective rights belong to Saint Rick Rordian. *bows down before Saint Rick Rordian* Now that the legalities are over, let the fun begin!

**Chapter 1:** The Girl

Rain drummed on the rooftop of the sleek, black limousine as Percy Jackson was driven cautiously through the rainstorm and home.

Home.

How he hated home.

He had everything a teenager could ask for: Money, lots of it! Warm and loving parents. A fancy house by a sprawling lake snug in between a Pine-tree forest. A damn good education and even a hot girlfriend.

However, one thing was missing. And he just couldn't put his finger on it. Now, Percy wasn't one for deep, philosophical discussions.

In fact, he was one to enjoy life and 'live it up' while it lasted. The only earthshaking revelation he ever experienced was that there was more alcohol in a Breazer than in a Beer.

It was all so pointless that it made him sick. Sometimes, Percy just sat and daydreamed that there was something more to life than the mundane and worldly existence.

There had to be something more than the daily routine of wake-up, school, hang-out-with-friends, and sleep that his day-to-day schedule provided.

Sadly, he had yet to find something like that in his life.

"Hey, _Percy_, are you listening to me?" Rachel gushed through his Blackberry.

"Uh, yeah," Percy replied stupidly.

What had they even been talking about, as a matter of fact? It had gone through one ear and right out the other one!

Not that Rachel Elisabeth Dare was an idiot. Heck, no! She was the hottest, nicest girl he ever met. Unfortunately, it ended right there and something made Percy suspicious that she was only nice to him for the paper in his wallet.

He tried to break up with the red-head on numerous occasions but to no avail. He had even asked his best friend Grover about it a couple of times but with no luck. Grover didn't seem to be too intelligent when it came to girls.

At least the thought of his best friend – no – his _only _friend, brought a grim smile to Percy's face. But the next moment it was lost as a torrent of snappy words ensued out of his mobile's speaker.

Rachel was trying to hook him up for some party that night but the details had slipped his mind. He had gone to so many parties that they just lost their lustre after a while.

"Percy?" Rachel's softened for once. "Got something on your mind?"

Percy heaved a sighed.

At least Rachel new his mood swings a bit more than most. She was the only one besides Grover and his parents who gave a damn about his feelings.

But was it enough?

"Yeah," Percy muttered, unconsciously rubbing his nose and eyebrows like he always did when deep in thought.

"Oh, okay then," Rachel said. She hesitated then added. "Wanna talk about it?"

Percy paused and glanced out the window. It was raining like hell. Only the occasional flash of lightning and car lights illuminated the road.

"Maybe later," He replied.

"Sure," Rachel said.

She sounded sad and that made Percy feel all the more heavy. But what did it matter if he couldn't even figure out his own feelings for her?

They had been going out ever since his fourteenth birthday when they met up at Goode High School. He was a week away from sixteen now and things weren't any easier between them.

"Look," He said after a moment of thought. "I've been doing some thinking and – "

But whatever he was going to say was drowned out in a wild screeching of tires as his driver hit the breaks hard, causing them to do a swing to the right as if they were in the middle of some car chase from an action movie.

"What the hell, man?" Percy gasped to the driver.

On a closer look, he could see that the driver's normally calm and sure face was pale as if his worst nightmare had come to life.

Panic flared within Percy and he quickly told Rachel a quick goodbye, that something was up, and switched off the phone. Dropping it in his seat, he stood up and craned his neck between the driver's seat and the passenger's seat to his left.

It was then that he saw the look for the driver's concern: The barely distinguishable body of a girl, about his age, lying limp in the middle of the road.

Sweat beaded on Percy's forehead. Goosebumps prickled the skin on his arms and neck.

Had they hit her?

Had the driver got distracted and smashed into her due to the thunderstorm?

No.

It couldn't be.

His driver was fully-qualified, tried and proven. The driver's own family had worked for the Jackson family for ages and never once hit a pedestrian.

Throwing caution to the wind, he burst out of the backseat and tripped through the rain to the girl, his driver at his heels. Panting for breath from the unexpected exertion, he knelt down by the girl and felt her pulse.

It was still beating, albeit slowly. Her eyes were closed, thankfully, as if asleep. They would be open and unseeing if she were dead. Breathing a sigh of relief, he jutted his chin out to the driver as he picked up the girl in his arms, telling the man to open the car door.

His face full of disapproval, the driver did so and Percy carried her in. He was surprised at how light she was considering the fact that she was probably a few inches taller than him.

She wasn't anorexic though, just thin as if she hadn't eaten much. Her skin was soft and pale as if it cried out to be touched. Blood rushed to Percy's face in embarrassment and he gave himself a mental shake at such thoughts.

She was out cold, darn it! What the heck was wrong with him? He took a deep, steadying breath to calm himself and manoeuvred his body into a more comfortable position.

Satisfied, he placed the girl's head gently on his lap and tried to ignore the luscious blond curls that fell down to her shoulders. She wasn't as hot as Rachel who had the perfect body, flaming red hair, and big boobs.

No. She was different and that sparked Percy's interest more so than her figure which, while not perfect, was certainly pretty as far as girls went. Oh, well! He would find more about her later when she came to.

In the mean time, he would just have to wait and wonder. But that couldn't stop him from brushing a stray curl of hair and tucking it behind her ear. Suddenly, the girl's eyes fluttered open briefly but with such a look of intelligence, feeling, and gratitude that it scared the stuffing out of Percy.

What in the world had he gotten into?

Heaving a sigh, he shook his head and sank back into the comfy seat as he waited for this agonizing journey to end.

**To Be Continued...**

**A/N:** Well, what do you think? This has probably been done before so forgive me if it has but the idea came to me in a flash of a movie-like image and I just had to write it down! Review if you enjoyed it and please contribute any suggestions and advice you feel is needed. I'll most probably include Camp Half-Blood and all that into this story but it might not be. It is Percabeth though so that should be good.

Until next time!

~ Elf Knight ~


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